Bombay High Court disallows plea for 6-km paduka procession to Pandharpur

A division bench passed an order through videoconference and held that in view of the coronavirus pandemic, the decision of the local administration and mandir committee not to have a procession and to permit only 20 persons to accompany the palkhi on state transport bus. (File)

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday refused to grant relief to the Warkari Seva Sangh, Pune, which had sought that 100 devotees be allowed to carry the “paduka” for six kilometres towards the temple town of Pandharpur on June 30 evening, a day before Ashadhi Ekadashi.

Referring to last week’s Supreme Court decision asking the Odisha government to make necessary arrangements to conduct Rath Yatra in Puri in a restricted manner, the warkari organisation from Pune on Monday moved the High Court seeking that 100 devotees be allowed to carry the “paduka” for six kilometres.

A division bench of Justices P B Varale and S P Tavade on Tuesday passed an order through videoconference and held that in view of the coronavirus pandemic, the decision of the local administration and mandir committee not to have a procession and to permit only 20 persons to accompany the palkhi on state transport bus till the temple was sufficient.